Energy

19 November 2014: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched the fifth edition of its Emissions Gap Report, which draws on the research of the world's main atmospheric science, climate change and policy centers to present a unified message on the world's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, present and future, using shared indicators. This year's report finds that, under current trends and commitments, an additional gap of 14-17 gigatons of CO2-equivalent (Gt CO2-e) will need to be closed in 2030, if the world is to stay within the 2°C warming limit.

18 November 2014: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's High-level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport has agreed on priority areas and a work plan for its three-year term. The Advisory Group agreed to consider the potential for sustainable transport to contribute to poverty alleviation, sustainable urbanization and sustainable growth, among other topics, and to promote the integration of sustainable transport in relevant intergovernmental processes, including the post-2015 development agenda.

12 November 2014: The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) identified finance as a major priority going into the next round of climate change negotiations. The coalition met for a two-day summit in Seychelles to consolidate its position ahead of the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the UNFCCC in December 2014, in Lima, Peru.

In parallel to the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the UNFCCC, the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL) is organizing a workshop to consider how international law and governance can better respond to climate change, what universal human rights can contribute to legal responses to climate change, how climate laws could promote respect for human rights, and how innovative legal instruments can deliver more sustainable landscapes and energy. Sessions will be organized around themes such as: international human rights; economic and environmental law; sustainable development; and designing new collaborative research agendas on law, governance and climate change. During the workshop, a new legal working papers series on public participation and climate change and a series of legal briefs on sustainable development of biofuels and renewable energy will be launched. Co-organizers of the event include: Lauterpacht Centre for International Law (LCIL) at the University of Cambridge; the Centre for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP) of the University of Nairobi; the Centre for Climate Resilience Research (CR2) of the University of Chile; Centre for Climate Justice and Chittagong University of Bangladesh; Fundacion Ecos and St Clare's College of Uruguay; Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental of Peru (SPDA); Universidad Catolica of Peru; the Organization of American States (OAS); the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR); and Climate Change and the Law Community of Practice of the World Bank's Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development.

16 November 2014: Group of Twenty (G20) leaders have released a communiqué following the conclusion of the G20 Leaders Summit. The event drew approximately 4,000 delegates and 3,000 media representatives, and provided an opportunity for leaders to discuss global economic issues and use “their collective power to improve people's lives.” The communiqué outlines G20 policy discussions and commitments.

14 November 2014: The UNFCCC Secretariat has released an information note by the co-facilitators of the structured expert dialogue (SED) on the 2013-2015 review, which provides information on the fourth meeting of the SED, scheduled to take place from 2-3 December 2014, in Lima, Peru.

10 November 2014: The Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) has completed its fourth and final sub-regional preparatory meeting in 2014 for the Second ECPA Meeting of Ministers, which is intended to boost the region's cooperation on energy and climate change issues. At the upcoming meeting, which is scheduled to take place in 2015, ministers are expected to put forward their priorities on these issues and structure a stronger partnership.

27 October 2014: The Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) Clearinghouse organized a workshop examining 'Policies for the Promotion of a Sustainable Energy Sector' for participants from several South American countries, multilateral institutions and civil society organizations (CSOs). The workshop considered drivers behind increased efficiency and lower costs of wind and solar power and considered the infrastructure needed for bringing more renewables onto the grid.

12 November 2014: After having announced earlier in 2014 that an estimated seven million people die annually from pollution exposure, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued benchmarks for achieving healthy air in and around the home. Among its suggestions, WHO recommends avoiding unprocessed coal and kerosene as household fuels.

11 November 2014: As part of its Green Growth Series, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released a report detailing the unsustainability of Southeast Asia's current growth path. The report finds that climate change, fossil fuel-related pollution and an over-dependence on natural resources will hurt growth, prosperity and health in the long-run.